Improvement in sewer-valves



J. DIKEMAN, Sewer-Valve. No. 199,696. Patented Jan. `29, 1878.

' UNITED j STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JonN DIKEMAN, on BROOKLYN, New YORK.

IMPRovEM ENT IN SEWER-VALVES.

Specification formi-.ng part of Letters Patent No. 199,696, datedJanuary 29, 1878 application filed 4 November 24, 1877.

To all 'whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, J OBTN DIKEMAN, of thecity of Brooklyn and State of New York,

"have invented `a new and useful Improvement in Sewer-Valves, of whichthe following is a full, true, and .exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings.

It is a fact well known that many diseases are produced and propagatedby the noxious gases produced in sewers, which, entering the housesconnected with such sewers, thereby poison the inhabitants.

Many attempts have before now been made to remedy this trouble, andespecially it has been customary to insert traps or elbows between thesewer and the inletin the house; but, as a matter of fact, such trapsare not operative for the purposes desired, since they do not retain thewater poured into them, but are emptied by what is known as siphonaction,7 so that as a general thing there is an unobstructed passagebetween the sewer and the dwelling-house. The gas in the sewer is forcedback by two causes, namely, the rising of the water within the sewer dueto the rising tide, and also the forcing back of the air in such sewerby entering currents or drafts of air. As a usual thing sewersdelivering into the rivers enter between high and low water mark, sothat at times their outlets are closed by water, and at times they areopen to the air.

The object of my invention is to prevent the entrance of the wind intothe mouth of the sewer during the period when its outlet is uncovered bythe water, for I have observed that whenever the wind is in such adirection it enters the exposed mouth of the sewer the noxious gases inthe city and houses are particularlyfperceptible.

In my drawings similar letters refer to similar parts. l

Figure l represents a view of the mouth of the sewer, and my sewer-valveat low water. Fig. 2 represents the same at half-tide. lFig. 3represents the same at high waten My invention consists, generally, in avalve `falling across the mouth of the sewer, and thereby closing it. Inmy drawings it is represented by V. At low tide, as shown in Fig.

1, the wind blowing into the sewer S would force back the sewer-gas intothe town. My invention is designed to close the mouth of this sewer,excepting when it is sealed by the rising tide.

Attached to my valve is the float F, which 4 may consist in anair-chamber at the lower extremity of such valve. This valve is alsoprovided with aps or guards C, adapted to enter into the sewer, for apurpose hereinafter to be explained. The sewer S is represented as anarched or semi-cylindrical sewer, and the valve should becorrespondingly shaped. This valve is pivoted at P, and has a shoulder,H.

In Fig. l the water Wis below the valve V, and such valve closes themouth of the sewer. It is evident, however, that the escaping sewagewouldreadily raise such valve and escape into the river. i

In Fig. 2 the water W is at half-tide, and hassomewhatraisedthevalveVbymeansofitsioat F. The purpose ofthe iiaps Gisnow apparent. Such flaps now close the space between the mouth of thesewer S and the valve V, and thereby prevent the entrance of any :airinto the sewer through the space M, which would otherwise be open. Theseflaps are here shown as entering the sewer; but they might be arrangedto surround the same.

In Fig. 3 the valve is shown clear of the sewer, and therefore offeringno obstruction to the escaping sewage. The object of this float is toopen the valve whenever the sewer is sealed by the water, so as to offerno increased resistance to the escaping sewage.

In Fig. 3 the upward movement of the valve is arrested by the shoulderH, the purpose of which -is simply to prevent the valve from fallingover backward, and might not be necessary, except under certaincircumstances.J

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure' by Letters Patent,is

l. In combination with a sewer-mouth opening freely to the air andexposed to entering currents of air, a valve closing by gravity, for thepurpose of closing the mouth of said sewer against entering currents ofair, but allowing the escape of the sewage, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a sewer having its float, F, ilaps C, andlshoulder H, substantially as described.

5. My improved sewer-valve V, provided with the entrance-closing flapsC, adapted to exclude currents of air from the mouths of sewers exposedthereto, substantially as described.

JOHN DIKEMAN.

Witnesses:

J. REMsEN DIKEMAN, JOSEPH M. PRAY.

